Bestu Varas 2026: The Gujarati New Year, Chopda Pujan and Labh Pancham

Bestu Varas falls on Monday, 9 November 2026, the day after Diwali. For Gujarati households this is the New Year, and in many families it carries more weight than Diwali night itself.

Most Diwali guides written for a national audience skip it entirely, moving from Lakshmi Puja straight to Bhai Dooj. This one covers what actually happens in Gujarat across those days: Chopda Pujan, Annakut, Saal Mubarak, and the reopening of businesses on Labh Pancham.

The Gujarati Diwali Calendar 2026

Dhanteras: Friday, 6 November
Kali Chaudas: Saturday, 7 November
Diwali and Lakshmi Puja, with Chopda Pujan and Sharda Pujan: Sunday, 8 November
Bestu Varas and Annakut: Monday, 9 November
Bhai Bij: Tuesday, 10 November
Labh Pancham: a few days later, on Kartik Sud Pancham

Bestu Varas marks the first day of the new Vikram Samvat year. The Gujarati calendar begins the year on Kartik Sud Ekam, the day after Diwali, which is why Gujarat celebrates its New Year here rather than at Chaitra as much of North India does.

Kali Chaudas: Clearing Before Inviting

Kali Chaudas on 7 November is observed more seriously in Gujarat than in most of the country. Where the rest of India treats the day as Choti Diwali, Gujarati practice focuses on clearing negativity from the home and person before Lakshmi is invited the following evening.

The sequence is deliberate: remove first, invite second. Practically, this is when the last of the cleaning is finished, when protective items at the entrance are refreshed or installed, and when the abhyanga snan is performed before dawn.

Households installing a guardian at the main door often do it around now. Our Kirti Mukh placement guide covers the rules, and the yantras and vastu items collection has the alternatives.

Chopda Pujan: The Business Ritual

Chopda Pujan takes place on Diwali evening alongside Lakshmi Puja, and for Gujarati business families it is the centre of the festival.

The chopda are the account books. On Diwali night the old year’s books are closed and worshipped, and the new year’s books are opened and consecrated. Traditionally the first pages carry the Swastik, the words Shubh and Labh, and Shri written at the top, with the new accounts beginning beneath.

Sharda Pujan is performed alongside, honouring Saraswati, since the books represent knowledge and record-keeping as much as money. Lakshmi and Saraswati are worshipped together, which is one of the distinctive features of the Gujarati observance.

What is placed with the books: a lit diya, roli and kumkum, akshat, flowers, sweets, and a coin or cash. Many businesses keep a Shree Yantra permanently with the ledgers or in the cash box, traditionally acquired on Dhanteras and installed on Diwali night.

Pyrite has become a common addition in recent years for the same reason, kept at the desk or with the cash box. Our guide to pyrite covers the tradition behind it, and the Pyrite Vastu Owl pairs the stone with Lakshmi’s vahana.

Whether the books are physical ledgers or accounting software, the observance continues. Many firms print the first page, worship it, and file it.

Bestu Varas: The New Year Itself

The morning of 9 November begins early. Families bathe, wear new clothes, and visit the temple before anything else.

Saal Mubarak is the greeting, and the day is built around exchanging it in person. Younger family members touch the feet of elders and receive blessings, and households move between relatives and neighbours through the day. In Gujarat the phone lines and doorbells stay busy from early morning.

Annakut is offered at temples, the mountain of food presented to Krishna in the Govardhan tradition, since Govardhan Puja falls on the same day. Temples across Ahmedabad and the rest of Gujarat display elaborate Annakut arrangements, and visiting them is a common part of the day.

Gifting concentrates here rather than on Diwali night. If you are sending something to Gujarati family, business contacts or in-laws, plan for 9 November rather than 8 November. Our Diwali 2026 gifting guide covers options by recipient and budget.

Labh Pancham: Reopening for Business

Gujarat effectively closes for Diwali. Shops shutter, offices empty, and the state pauses for the better part of a week.

Labh Pancham, on Kartik Sud Pancham a few days after Bestu Varas, is when it reopens. The name means the fifth day of profit, and it is considered the most auspicious day of the year to begin work, launch a venture, or make the first transaction of the new Samvat.

Shops open with a short puja. The first sale of the day is treated with particular significance, and many businesses time a new launch or a new hire to it. Households that have delayed a purchase often make it on this day.

If you have been holding off on starting something, Labh Pancham is the day Gujarat traditionally reserves for exactly that.

For Those Marking It From Outside Gujarat

A few points of courtesy for anyone with Gujarati colleagues, clients or in-laws.

Saal Mubarak is the correct greeting on 9 November, not on Diwali night. Sending it a day early is a common and harmless mistake, but getting it right is noticed.

Expect Gujarati businesses to be unreachable from Diwali through Labh Pancham. Plan deadlines accordingly rather than assuming a single holiday.

And if you are invited for Annakut darshan or to a home on Bestu Varas morning, going is genuinely appreciated. The day is built around visiting.

Frequently Asked Questions

When is Bestu Varas 2026?

Bestu Varas, the Gujarati New Year, falls on Monday, 9 November 2026, the day after Diwali. It coincides with Govardhan Puja and marks the first day of the new Vikram Samvat year.

What is Chopda Pujan?

The worship of business account books, performed on Diwali evening alongside Lakshmi Puja. The old year’s books are closed and worshipped and the new year’s books are opened, traditionally inscribed with the Swastik and the words Shubh, Labh and Shri.

What is the difference between Diwali and Bestu Varas?

Diwali on 8 November is Lakshmi Puja night, falling on Kartik Amavasya. Bestu Varas on 9 November is the Gujarati New Year, the first day of Kartik Sud. For many Gujarati households Bestu Varas is the larger occasion for visiting and gifting.

What is Labh Pancham?

Labh Pancham falls on Kartik Sud Pancham, a few days after Bestu Varas. It is when Gujarati businesses reopen after the Diwali break and is considered the most auspicious day of the year to begin work, launch a venture, or make a first transaction.

What is the correct Gujarati New Year greeting?

Saal Mubarak, offered on Bestu Varas morning on 9 November rather than on Diwali night.

Why does Gujarat celebrate New Year at Diwali?

The Gujarati calendar begins the Vikram Samvat year on Kartik Sud Ekam, the day after Diwali, rather than at Chaitra as followed in much of North India. Regional calendars mark the new year at different points, and this is Gujarat’s.

Saal Mubarak

Diwali night belongs to Lakshmi. The morning after belongs to everyone you know, which is what makes Bestu Varas the more sociable half of the festival.

Whether you are closing the year’s books, opening new ones, or simply visiting, our Vastu and Feng Shui collection and religious gift items cover what the days call for. Order by 1 November for delivery before Bestu Varas, since courier networks slow considerably through festival week.

From all of us at Navgraha, in Ahmedabad: Saal Mubarak.

Festival dates follow tithi and may vary by a day depending on your local panchang and family tradition. Spiritual and astrological beliefs described here follow traditional practice. These products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any medical condition.